Benetton uses ad budget on UN humanitarian campaign

The global humanitarian initiative covers 30 countries including Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, Japan and Korea. It was developed in association with the UN's World Food Programme and supports the fight against global hunger.

The campaigns relays different stories, all of which are gathered together and developed as a supplement, entitled 'Hunger' and running with the brand's Colors 54 Food magazine. The images in the campaign show crisis and poverty. They demonstrate how food has become a catalyst for reconciliation and development, and a tool capable of revolutionising the lives of hungry individuals.

The co-branded ad campaign features the United Colors of Benetton and the UN programme logos.

The initiative continues Benetton's tradition of using promotional funds in provocative and unusual ways, including controversial campaigns highlighting crucial issues such as AIDs and its impact on society.

According to Benetton's Italy-based advertising director, Paolo Landi, the campaign will run across print and outdoor. "Right from its beginning as a young clothing label, Benetton realised that dedicating resources to building and upgrading the brand was as good as making a strategic investment ... United Colors (eventually) extended to include not only different races but also concepts of tolerance, peace and respect for diversity," said Landi.

The food campaign is part of the brand's efforts to position itself as a corporation that invests in research, is modern and projected towards the future. Landi added that as well as creating awareness about the world hunger crisis, the campaign shows that the multinational companies can "use advertising budgets in a different way, creating added value for the brand and, at the same time, helping to awaken public opinion to a dramatic problem that concerns us all".